Thursday, July 07, 2005

nhl- More on Babcock & the Wings

from Sportsnet, Mike Babcock was not in Detroit meeting with the Red Wings on Thursday.Instead, he was playing in a charity golf tournament held by the University of Saskatchewan. But one thing's for sure, his ties with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks have indeed been officially cut after two seasons and three years in Orange County. He rejected a one-year offer from new Ducks GM Brian Burke on Wednesday night."I'm not going back to Anaheim," Babcock said Thursday from his off-season home in Emma Lake, Sask., before leaving for the golf tournament. "Coaching in this league is a fit. They didn't know me good enough obviously to offer me more than one year and I respect that."Burke has heard the Detroit rumours."You guys have all speculated Detroit," Burke said Thursday on a conference call with reporters. "I have not heard from Detroit. And if in fact they have gone ahead and hired Mike Babcock without the courtesy of a phone call, I would be shocked. I would regard that as a shocking breach of etiquette."Technically, the Wings do not have to call the Ducks for permission to talk to Babcock because he's without a contract, but Burke obviously feels the Wings should still inform the Ducks as a matter of principle....read on...